Influence of Harry Potter and witchcraft

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if you go to the whitehorse inn site you can still hear last weeks show in which they discussed Harry Potter in a very, very positive light.
 
Originally posted by maxdetail
if you go to the whitehorse inn site you can still hear last weeks show in which they discussed Harry Potter in a very, very positive light.
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In what sense?
 
I didn't hear the broadcast, but they are great stories, some even find Christian allegories in them. The bottom line is that the children of pagans will read Harry Potter in a completely different way than the children of Christians because Christian parents will help their children know fantasy from reality, and yet encourage their imaginations as well.
 
they spoke of how Mrs. Rowling is a Christian and a C. S. Lewis junky and that the stories contain the same elements and virtures as Chronicles and LOTR. That those who would find a problem with the Harry books are just obediently following their pastors. The guest was an author who wrote "Finding God in Harry Potter".
 
How wonderful the Harry Potter books are. Give them to your children. There is nothing more fantastic than mixing witchcraft with Christian allegories.

I'm sure God is quite pleased with "Christian" parents who show their children fantasy from reality in the Harry Potter books. This is parallel to the lie of Santa Clause (fantasy). And you expect your children to believe you about Jesus Christ (reality)?

I know God is pleased that we have mixed righteousness with unrighteousness.... after all, we want to reach out to the pagans as well as expose our children to the joys of magic and witchcraft. How wonderful.
 
Consider it this way:
To whom are most fantasy stories written? Pubescant, sex-craved adolescents who want nothing more than sex and violence in their books (and even worse, movies). Harry Potter has neither. I wouldn't call them Christian allegories (although one could find some typological referents, perhaps).

Whether we like it or not, the books are extremely well-written, have NO sexual content, and very LITTLE violence. Yeah, there is "witchcraft" in there, but if you want to attack Harry Potter, attack the whole fantasy genre as well. Harry Potter is rather tame.
 
For what it's worth, at least Lewis has the witch as a bad guy in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In Harry Potter, being a witch is more neutral and focuses more on "good" witches and "bad" witches...But witchiness itself...

For that matter, the Bible has stories/narrative with witches in it. They're just not portrayed in a good light.
 
Originally posted by New wine skin
http://www.nationnews.com/story/296175434721804.php

To anyone who thinks movies like Harry Potter are harmless read this article...

:mad:
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I expected this article actually to be about Harry Potter, but the Harry Potter books and movies do not appear to have had anything do with this young man's involvement in witchcraft. Movies like The Craft, which depict witchcraft as it actually is in the real world and as a power that anyone can tap into, are another matter entirely. I don't think this settles the issue of whether Potter is appropriate for Christians or not (I personally do read the books), but I think it weakens your case to lump Potter in with these kinds of movies. That said, I think HP could be a danger to young children who have no knowledge of the gospel and are looking for something to fill the void.

To be honest, I learned far more about real-world witchcraft just from reading that article than from anything in the Harry Potter books.

[Edited on 6-29-2005 by Ex Nihilo]
 
I tried to read the Potter books so I could participate in convo's like this, but I found them terribly boring and unintresting. Sorry.
 
Originally posted by houseparent
I tried to read the Potter books so I could participate in convo's like this, but I found them terribly boring and unintresting. Sorry.
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Ditto to the movies...no offense intended to Pot(ter)-Heads out there.:lol:
 
Originally posted by houseparent
I tried to read the Potter books so I could participate in convo's like this, but I found them terribly boring and unintresting. Sorry.
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:p :bigsmile:
 
Originally posted by houseparent
;) Wasn't a shot at you or anyone. I did honestly try reading them and I was like...eh, what's the big deal over these?
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Oh, it's understandable. :D

Honestly, the biggest thing we can draw from the Harry Potter phenomenon (because, as you pointed out by mentioning your boredom, I don't think it can be fully explained by the books themselves) is how desperate people are for a good/evil hero narrative. We have one that's much better.
 
Well that's true! When I was in pro wrestling I learned how desperate people were for the hero/villan story. Thing is though, people want a hero that's also dark.
 
Yes, in Harry Potter you're either born with magic or not. It is a skill, like having rhythm or being a good singer, that you have to develop. It isn't like the other magical movies and such where any kid who taps into some power is able to be magical. In that way, it doesn't encourage us, the muggle (non-magical) reader to do anything but use our imaginations. Because we cannot use magic.
 
Originally posted by smallbeans
Yes, in Harry Potter you're either born with magic or not. It is a skill, like having rhythm or being a good singer, that you have to develop. It isn't like the other magical movies and such where any kid who taps into some power is able to be magical. In that way, it doesn't encourage us, the muggle (non-magical) reader to do anything but use our imaginations. Because we cannot use magic.
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This is why I'm not necessarily opposed to them. If they are handled with caution.
 
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
Originally posted by smallbeans
Yes, in Harry Potter you're either born with magic or not. It is a skill, like having rhythm or being a good singer, that you have to develop. It isn't like the other magical movies and such where any kid who taps into some power is able to be magical. In that way, it doesn't encourage us, the muggle (non-magical) reader to do anything but use our imaginations. Because we cannot use magic.
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This is why I'm not necessarily opposed to them. If they are handled with caution.
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Precisely, if my child was having a problem with witchcraft and loved sacrificing cats (not that they do that in Harry Potter), then I wuold have my doubts on the appropriateness of the series.
 
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
Originally posted by New wine skin
http://www.nationnews.com/story/296175434721804.php

To anyone who thinks movies like Harry Potter are harmless read this article...

:mad:
Click to expand...

I expected this article actually to be about Harry Potter, but the Harry Potter books and movies do not appear to have had anything do with this young man's involvement in witchcraft. Movies like The Craft, which depict witchcraft as it actually is in the real world and as a power that anyone can tap into, are another matter entirely. I don't think this settles the issue of whether Potter is appropriate for Christians or not (I personally do read the books), but I think it weakens your case to lump Potter in with these kinds of movies. That said, I think HP could be a danger to young children who have no knowledge of the gospel and are looking for something to fill the void.

To be honest, I learned far more about real-world witchcraft just from reading that article than from anything in the Harry Potter books.

[Edited on 6-29-2005 by Ex Nihilo]
Click to expand...


My bad on the "hasty generalization" fallacy. I should have suggested how easy it is to influence children with ideas and that many of the witchcraft related shows & books (including Harry potter) could be attributed to or can contribute to a unhealthy promotion and influence of witchcraft on children. I should have stated that it was my opinion that Potter books promotes/glorifies witchcraft and because of this I am making an assumption that Potter literature could have contributed to this specific person's interest in witch craft. The fact that so many shows and movies have come out in the last few years, which glorify witchcraft, and the many articles and reports that suggest a thriving interest in the subject, could suggest a strong possibility for correlation. I just see so many kids at my old church, or the books store rave over these books, then to read an article like this I cant but be frustrated and broken. Certainly the parents could be as much to blame because the dont seem to regard what their child wants to believe and fail to lead him into truth.
 
It seems to me that any secular literature will have problems within it because of their presuppositions.

One response can take the easy route which in effect is two sided: 1) accept all literature as glorifying God (no discernment) 2) deny all literature as dishonoring God (no discernment)

The harder route involves reading and studying the books which our children will read and then determining whether or not they are of a sufficient emotional and spiritual maturity to be able to appreciate a book for the literature it is and put aside any thoughts or words that would deny their belief system.

As far as the Harry Potter books are concerned, it seems to me that we would better off simply waiting until our children are mature enough to read them so that they can understand that being a witch, magician etc. is not real or a calling, but part of a story intended to entertain and enrich our imaginations.

:2cents:
 
Frankly, I don't have the time, finances or inclination to pay attention to Harry Potter, LOTR, etc.

I find it all very boring and trite. Nothing like the real world, of which I have to deal with as a daily battle.
 
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo


Honestly, the biggest thing we can draw from the Harry Potter phenomenon (because, as you pointed out by mentioning your boredom, I don't think it can be fully explained by the books themselves) is how desperate people are for a good/evil hero narrative. We have one that's much better.
Click to expand...

And we take that Universal need for a good/evil fairy tale and immediately move to apologetics/evangelism. We say, "You like this narrative don't you? It touches something inside you that transcends you but you don't know what it is, right? In some way or another you like fairy tales. You might not call them that, but the same point is still there. Can I tell you about the Fairy Tale that Came True?" And then, having memorized Greg Bahnsen's Sermon: The Fairy Tale that Came True, I open the discussion.

Ivan wrote:
Frankly, I don't have the time, finances or inclination to pay attention to Harry Potter, LOTR, etc.

I find it all very boring and trite. Nothing like the real world, of which I have to deal with as a daily battle.
Click to expand...

To quote Chesterton, I learned more about reality from fairy tales than I did from "books about reality." Same principle applies with CS Lewis, "The Bible talks far more about dragons and giants than it does about economics."
 
Originally posted by Draught Horse

To quote Chesterton, I learned more about reality from fairy tales than I did from "books about reality." Same principle applies with CS Lewis, "The Bible talks far more about dragons and giants than it does about economics."
Click to expand...

Economics bores me even more!
 
Originally posted by Ivan
Originally posted by Draught Horse

To quote Chesterton, I learned more about reality from fairy tales than I did from "books about reality." Same principle applies with CS Lewis, "The Bible talks far more about dragons and giants than it does about economics."
Click to expand...

Economics bores me even more!
Click to expand...

This settles it, Ivan. You and I will never be together. :D
 
Originally posted by Ex Nihilo
Originally posted by Ivan
Originally posted by Draught Horse

To quote Chesterton, I learned more about reality from fairy tales than I did from "books about reality." Same principle applies with CS Lewis, "The Bible talks far more about dragons and giants than it does about economics."
Click to expand...

Economics bores me even more!
Click to expand...

This settles it, Ivan. You and I will never be together. :D
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But I do like coffee...10% free! :p
 
Originally posted by crhoades
Originally posted by maxdetail
if you go to the whitehorse inn site you can still hear last weeks show in which they discussed Harry Potter in a very, very positive light.
Click to expand...

In what sense?
Click to expand...

I heard it....apparently, the books are written by a Christian and hold much symbolic, allegorical references ...much as CS Lewis used.

Frankly, I've not given the Potter much notice...for what I've heard about it, it has hoards of themes "borrowed" from both Lewis and Tolkien. (Lewis and Tolkien I am thoroughly educated in.)

;)

r.
 
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